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What is the Average Penis Size?

Kelly Brown MD, MBA

Reviewed by Kelly Brown MD, MBA

Written by Erica Garza

Published 01/09/2018

Updated 07/25/2024

Worried about your penis size? Congrats — you can relax and know that you’re in the majority. Plenty of men want to know how they measure up compared with the rest of the world, and we’ve even got a semi-reliable answer.

When it comes to the average penis size, a 2014 review found the average erect penis length is approximately 5.2 in. (13.12 cm.), with a circumference (a circular measurement around the penis) of around 4.6 in. (11.66 cm.).

The average flaccid penis size (which did not correlate with erect penile size) is around 3.6 in., or 9.16 cm. from base to tip, with an average circumference of around 3.7 in., or 9.31 cm.

Here’s the thing: these numbers don’t tell you that much about your penis and how you use it, and they don’t tell you anything about you as a person.

Still, you might wonder: Does this information actually matter to your partner? Should it matter all that much to you? Is there anything you can do about it?

Read on to find out more.

What is the average dick size?

It’s a question most guys wonder from time to time. And while average penis size varies drastically across the pretty massive spectrum of eight billion humans around the world, researchers have tried their best to give us some ballpark numbers.

Most of this research suggests that people’s perceptions about the normal penis size are, to put it mildly, not totally realistic. It also indicates that many men are far more concerned about their penis size than their female partners are.

For instance, the study mentioned above (5.2 in. for the average erect penile length and 3.6 for the average flaccid length) should come as a relief to many of us. This confirms that the “six-inch standard” promoted in media and casual conversation isn’t even close to the reality of the average penis size in America.

And to determine those numbers, researchers measured over 15,000 penises by their average flaccid penis length and erect lengths and circumferences.

But even with that large sample size, there's no telling how accurate their findings were. And it’s just one study — there are a lot more for us to look at.

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Occasionally worrying about whether you have a normal-sized penis is, well, normal. We all feel self-conscious from time to time. But feeling persistently anxious or being excessively concerned about the average male penis size is a form of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

And if you have an unhealthy obsession specifically with your penis size, that’s considered a specific form of BDD called penile dysmorphic disorder, or PDD.

What’s fascinating, though, is the difference between what study data from high-quality surveys tells us and the perceived average length people report when asked about what they think is normal.

In a survey conducted by UK-based Health Bridge Limited, researchers asked people what they believe the average penile length is. The survey included men and women and drew data from thousands of people throughout Europe and North America.

So we’re all on the same page: researchers in this survey compared what people thought to the same stats as the King’s College study above (5.2 in. erect).

For the most part, the survey participants overestimated the average penis size by about a quarter of an inch to about four-tenths of an inch (0.68 to 0.98 cm.).

The average male penis size estimated by participants varied between countries, but the coveted “King of the Liars” Award goes to Poland, whose respondents reported the biggest perceived average penile length at 6.18 in. (15.7 cm.).

Austria, Italy, and the United States also gave estimates well above the actual average penis length, at 6.14 in. (15.6 cm.), 6.02 in. (15.3 cm.), and 5.63 in. (14.3 cm.), respectively.

Of the ten most widely surveyed countries, the UK participants were the only ones to guess a size below the actual average, coming in at just 4.88 in. (12.4 cm.).

This mismatch between perceived penis size and actual penis size might not seem like that big of a deal on the surface, but it may contribute to feelings of anxiety, frustration, and insecurity for many men who feel like their penis isn’t big enough.

In an article published in Sexual Medicine, men who are diagnosed with BDD due to their perceived penis size are excessively preoccupied and may repeatedly check and compare their penis to others’ penises. These same individuals tend to experience distress in their social and work lives due to their preoccupation with the topic.

Some men can also develop what’s called small penis anxiety (SPA), which is a syndrome when men are dissatisfied or constantly worried about the size of their penis, even if they’re packing perfectly average-sized equipment. Men with this condition often feel hopeless, have low self-esteem, and may develop performance anxiety.

Does size matter? Probably not as much as you think.

The size of your penis can seem like a big deal, but there’s plenty of research out there that suggests penis size isn’t that important — especially for heterosexual partners.

In a 2015 study of penis size and sexual attraction, researchers found that only 27 percent of women from the 75-person study had ended a relationship due (at least in part) to a difference between their preferred penis size and the size of their partner.

Researchers in that study asked participants to compare 33 different 3D models of phalluses and answer questions based on their preferences. The general preference was somewhat above the average for both one-night stands and relationships (6.4 vs. 6.3 in.).

That may be bad news to men around the “average” 5.2-inch size. However, there’s good news for the majority: in the Health Bridge Survey mentioned above, the overwhelming majority of female participants — a whopping 67.4 percent — claimed that penis size was only “somewhat important” to them in a sex partner.

Another 21.4 percent of female participants said that penis size just wasn’t important at all. That’s 88.8 percent of women who don’t care that much about penis size, while only 11.2 percent of all of the women that took part in the survey claimed that penis size was very important to them when choosing a romantic partner.

In a nutshell, penis size isn’t a significant factor in choosing a long-term partner for the overwhelming majority of women, and their expectations and preferences for penis size aren’t so far from the norm.

As for the preferences of gay partners, there’s not as much scientifically collected data. However, a survey conducted by the organization LGBT Hero of over 500 men found that while nearly 40 percent of men surveyed had anxiety about the size of their penis, almost 50 percent said penis size did not matter.

In other words, regardless of who’s being asked, the question of whether penis size matters is kind of big, but not really that big, and also varies from person to person — kind of like penises.

All of that said, some circumstances might cause an indisputably small or hidden penis, like genetic predispositions, congenital issues, or even certain environmental factors. This is a men’s health issue and one that you deserve and should receive help with.

Let’s take a closer look at two of these circumstances.

Micropenis

Micropenis is a clinical condition in which a penis is more than 2.5 standard deviations smaller than the average size.

Micropenis is a fairly rare condition. According to an article published in the Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology, about 1.5 out of every 10,000 male children born in the United States between 1997 and 2000 displayed signs of micropenis.

A variety of factors can play a role in the development of micropenis, including hormonal issues and congenital syndromes.

Buried Penis

Buried penis occurs when a penis is “buried” and partially hidden due to skin and fat from the abdomen, thigh, or scrotum. This obstructs the visibility of your penis, even if it’s average-sized.

Buried penis is usually caused by obesity. However, other factors and sexual health problems can also play a role in the development of buried penis, including elective surgery procedures, traumatic genital events, infections, and skin conditions such as lichen sclerosus.

Micropenis and buried penis are both recognized medical conditions, and it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider if you think you might be affected by either one. They can help you develop a treatment plan that may include topical hormonal treatments or surgery.

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Of course, other factors can influence your penile dimensions, but many can be addressed. Some of these factors include:

  • Hormones. Insufficient hormone levels during growth and development (like testosterone) can significantly impact the size of your penis.

  • Obesity. The point of taking care of your physique isn’t just to look good. In fact, obesity can cause conditions like buried penis.

  • Smoking. Will smoking affect your penis size? No. However, smoking and erectile dysfunction have a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Smokers often have decreased blood circulation, which leads to difficulties maintaining an erection. Now, we’re no scientists, but we’d argue that you can’t measure your erect penis if your penis can’t get erect.

  • Nutrition. We’re not saying your penis will grow if you eat your Wheaties®, but what you eat can have a definitive impact on your erection quality. And like our point above about smoking and erection quality, being able to get hard and stay hard is the basis for understanding your true penis length.

  • Age. Various age-related changes can also cause the penis to get smaller over time. Some of these may be addressed with the help of a healthcare professional.

So, let’s get down to brass tacks. Is there anything you can do to add some length or girth? Well, maybe — but we’re not sure we’d recommend it.

Although there are various “techniques” for increasing penis size, most don’t appear to offer long-term benefits. Some of the most common potential penis enlargement practices include:

  • Jelqing

  • Penis enlargement surgery

  • Penis pumps

  • Maintaining a healthy body weight

  • Medications

Here’s more info about how they work and why they might not work for you.

Jelqing

Jelqing” is a penis stretching exercise that involves incrementally stretching the penis to create micro-tears in the skin tissue. Self-reported experiments do seem to say that this technique for augmentation by stretching can increase the size of a penis, but that’s mostly coming from message board posts.

Unfortunately, studies mostly show that it doesn’t work. Worse, excessive jelqing can cause issues like genital bruising and scar tissue buildup, creating a whole new set of problems for your penis.

Penis Enlargement Surgery

Surgical options can deliver some results — if you’re willing to go under the knife. A few of the most common penis enlargement surgical procedures are severing a ligament in your penis, prosthetic implants, and fat transfer surgery.

But while these surgeries may offer a small amount of increased average penis girth and/or length, there are high risks that are associated with them — as well as high price tags. These risks may outweigh the potential reward for you.

Penis Pumps

Penis pumps, also known as vacuum pumps or vacuum erection devices, are tube-shaped instruments designed to improve blood flow to the penis through the creation of suction pressure. While they’re commonly used as an ED treatment option (they’re actually pretty effective here!), they don’t lead to a larger penis.

Not only do pumps not make you bigger, but they come with some pretty rough side effects when used incorrectly, including bruising, penis pain, and even ischemia — a medical condition in which your tissues become damaged by lack of blood flow. Ouch.

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

A more natural and safer way to increase your penis size is to maintain a healthy weight. When fat accumulates near your lower abdomen, it can conceal part of your penis and make it look shorter, both to yourself and your sexual partners.

You can maintain a healthy body weight by staying physically active, eating a balanced diet, monitoring your total caloric intake, and staying hydrated. If you need more support, consider looking into weight loss treatments.

Medications

You can improve your sexual function with your as-is length and girth by treating issues like erectile dysfunction.

Medications such as Viagra® (sildenafil), Cialis® (tadalafil), and Stendra® (avanafil) work by increasing blood flow to the erectile tissues inside your penis. This helps you to maintain firmer, more consistent erections.

We offer access to several ED medications online, following a consultation with a healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate for you.

While we’re not really in the business of making men feel inadequate, we also understand that if you have concerns about the size of your penis, you may want to measure it and see how you compare to others.

How to Measure Penis Length

Scientists and urologists use a few different methods to measure the length of your member. The main difference between them is whether you’re erect and pressing the measuring device into the body (which controls for varying levels of body fat and approximates deep penetrative sex) or if you’re flaccid and stretching the penis. Here are some options:

BPEL (Bone-Pressed Erection Length): The Scientific Standard

  • Position a measuring device (tape measure, ruler, etc.) on top of your erect penis and snug it up to where your penis attaches to your body.

  • Press into your body until you hit something hard. That's your pubic bone.

  • Measure to the end of the glans (penis tip), excluding the foreskin.

NBPEL (Non-Bone Pressed Erection Length): Like BPEL But Not Pressed into the Body

  • Place a measuring device on top of your erect penis and slide it to where your penis attaches to your body.

  • Measure base to tip, excluding foreskin.

Flaccid Stretched: A Convenient Erection Length Estimation

  • While standing, lift your flaccid penis so it is parallel to the floor and perpendicular to your body.

  • Position the measuring device on top of your flaccid penis and stretch with a gentle but firm force.

  • Measure to the end of your penis tip, excluding the foreskin.

How to Measure Penis Girth

Erect Girth: The Scientific Standard

  • Carefully wrap a flexible measuring tape or other material (dental floss, strip of paper, etc.) around the widest point of your erect shaft, excluding the head of the penis, until it overlaps.

  • Read the measuring tape where it overlaps or carefully note this point on the other material and measure it on a flat surface with your ruler.

Flaccid Girth: Your Resting Circumference

  • Wrap a flexible measuring device around a flaccid shaft until it overlaps.

  • Read the measuring tape or note the length of the other material.

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Your best sex ever

It’s normal to feel concerned about your penis size occasionally. However, it’s important not to let these worries get out of proportion and hurt what really matters: your self-confidence.

Contrary to popular belief, the average size of the penis isn’t that big, and it’s likely your partner is perfectly happy with what you’ve got.

To condense this information down into a smaller package and to answer the age-old question, “What’s the average penis size?” here are the big takeaways:

  • “Average” is smaller than you think. The average-sized erect penis is probably much smaller than you think — 5.2 in., give or take.

  • There are some contributing factors to be aware of. Issues like micropenis, buried penis, obesity, and even age can all affect the size of your penis.

  • Your partner probably doesn’t care that much. We know it might be hard to believe, but there are many more important things out there than the size of your penis. Crazy, we know. But survey after survey shows that women simply don’t care about penis size as much as we think they do.

Still, if you’re interested in improving your sexual stamina and having harder erections, visit your healthcare provider. If you are feeling anxious, depressed, or uncomfortable because of your penis size, you may also benefit from mental health interventions like counseling.

8 Sources

  1. Cohen P, et al. (2021). Adult Acquired Buried Penis: A Hidden Problem in Obese Men. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7932830/
  2. Hatipoğlu N, et al. (2013). Micropenis: Etiology, Diagnosis and Treatment Approaches. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3890219/
  3. LGBT Hero. (n.d.). Penis anxiety is impacting gay men’s self-esteem. https://www.lgbthero.org.uk/fs160-penis-anxiety-is-impacting-gay-mens-self-esteem
  4. Prause N, et al. (2015). Women's Preferences for Penis Size: A New Research Method Using Selection among 3D Models. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4558040/
  5. Veale D, et al. (2015). Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15 521 men. https://bjui-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bju.13010
  6. Veale D, et al. (2015). Penile Dysmorphic Disorder: Development of a Screening Scale. https://www.veale.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/61-COPS-P-2015.pdf
  7. Veale D, et al. (2015). Sexual Functioning and Behavior of Men with Body Dysmorphic Disorder Concerning Penis Size Compared with Men Anxious about Penis Size and with Controls: A Cohort Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26468378/
  8. Zava. (n.d.). What is the average penis size? Does it really matter? https://www.zavamed.com/uk/does-size-matter.html
Editorial Standards

Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. See a mistake? Let us know at [email protected]!

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.

Kelly Brown MD, MBA
Kelly Brown MD, MBA

Dr. Kelly Brown is a board certified Urologist and fellowship trained in Andrology. She is an accomplished men’s health expert with a robust background in healthcare innovation, clinical medicine, and academic research. Dr. Brown was previously Medical Director of a male fertility startup where she lead strategy and design of their digital health platform, an innovative education and telehealth model for delivering expert male fertility care.

She completed her undergraduate studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (go Heels!) with a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science and a Minor in Chemistry. She took a position at University of California Los Angeles as a radiologic technologist in the department of Interventional Cardiology, further solidifying her passion for medicine. She also pursued the unique opportunity to lead departmental design and operational development at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, sparking her passion for the business of healthcare.

Dr. Brown then went on to obtain her doctorate in medicine from the prestigious Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine and Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management, with a concentration in Healthcare Management. During her surgical residency in Urology at University of California San Francisco, she utilized her research year to focus on innovations in telemedicine and then served as chief resident with significant contributions to clinical quality improvement. Dr. Brown then completed her Andrology Fellowship at Medical College of Wisconsin, furthering her expertise in male fertility, microsurgery, and sexual function.

Her dedication to caring for patients with compassion, understanding, as well as a unique ability to make guys instantly comfortable discussing anything from sex to sperm makes her a renowned clinician. In addition, her passion for innovation in healthcare combined with her business acumen makes her a formidable leader in the field of men’s health.

Dr. Brown is an avid adventurer; summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (twice!) and hiking the incredible Torres del Paine Trek in Patagonia, Chile. She deeply appreciates new challenges and diverse cultures on her travels. She lives in Denver with her husband, two children, and beloved Bernese Mountain Dog. You can find Dr. Brown on LinkedIn for more information.

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